Pages

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

A follow-up to the review of Barnes & Noble's eReader

Barnes & Noble announced last week that their new ebook reader, a free Nook application for iPhones and other devices, is ready to download. I was a little suspicious, since I've been reading on the eReader regularly and don't see any need to change the software. Plus, having dealt with customer support a few times regarding the eReader, I'm quite convinced that the support team is a bunch of idiots (and maybe the software developers, too).

Turned out my fears were well-founded: People have been having problems with the Nook app. It was nowhere near ready to be launched — people can't even open their ebooks. yet when B&N launched the new app, they stopped making the original eReader available in the app store. Needless to say, I'll be waiting — perhaps indefinitely, but at least until they get the problems ironed out — before I download the new reader.

Having read at least a handful of ebooks on the iPhone now, I definitely think there are a lot of benefits:

* I can read in the dark. (They enable you to set a "nighttime" color scheme that is easier on the eyes. I chose a light grey background with a darker grey font.)* No more heavy books. I don't have to prop heavy hardbacks or large trade paperbacks up against my legs when I read in bed.* I can hold the "book" and turn the page with one hand. I can sometimes do this with paperbacks, but it's so much easier when all that's required is a short, one-finger sliding motion across the screen.* I can have unlimited books and don't have to find the space for them. Of course, there is only so much memory on my iPhone, but I can leave them in my online library (on B&N's server) except when I want to read them.* I get free classics. There are tons of free ebooks available through Google Books, though they aren't formatted for the iPhone's screen. Also, until September 14th, B&N is also giving away a new selection of their (nicely formatted) classics every week.* I always have something with me to read. I still think this is absolutely the best part of reading ebooks on the iPhone. No matter where I am, if I get bored I always have something with me. I can open up the eReader and be reading in a matter of seconds.

Unfortunately, if you didn't already download the eReader app, I advise waiting until they work the bugs out of the Nook app. What a pity they pulled the old app before the new one was really ready.

No comments:

About Me

A voracious reader since childhood, I actually can't remember a time when I couldn't read. My claim to fame in school was having a new reading book with me almost every day. Now a freelance writer, aspiring novelist, and a part-time nanny, I still enjoy reading -- and sharing what I read -- as much as ever!

About My Blog

Livre du Jour, a.k.a. My Book of the Day Blog, is primarily devoted to reviewing the books I read. You'll find there is a little something for almost everyone here: mainstream fiction, classics and literature, children's and YA, romance, and even some nonfiction. A huge fan of the digital book market, I also frequently blog about industry news and opportunities to download free ebooks.